Apparatus for forming hat-bodies



( o Model.)

STARR APPARATUS'P'OR FORMING HAT BODIES.

No. 247,703. Patented Sept. 27, 1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL STARR, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING HAT-BODIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,703, dated September 27, 1881.

Application filed June 22, 1881.

T 0 all whom it may concern -Be it known that I, DANIEL STARR, of Danbury, Fairfield county, in the State of Con necticut, have invented certain new and usefulv Improvements in Apparatus for forming Hat- Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

The improved apparatus is of that class in which fur and analogous fiber is projected into a vessel or case and caused to assume the desired form by beiu g drawn upon a hollow perforated former or cone. My improvements allow the production of an even quality with no appreciable foreign matter or dirt. I employ two picker-cylinders, arranged side by side out of contact and inclosed in a case having an arching top, which top has a capacious opening controlled by correspondingly-curved slides. The first picker is uniformly toothed. The second picker is toothed in stripes extending lengthwise, with considerable smooth spaces between the several stripes. The for previously treated, as usual, to properly' loosen it, is fed in by an apron and feed-rolls, and is caught by the smaller of the two pickers, which throws it toward the other picker-cylinder. The joint action of the two cylinders impels the fur, with a currentof air drawn down from the variable opening above, through a suitable trunk into the top of the dome. The latter is smooth in its interior, and gradually contracted from the top to a point near the base. The top of this casing is also partially open and controlled at will. The cone may be of the ordinary pattern and construction, and slowly revolved in the ordinary manner at the bottom. It may be introduced and removed in the ordinary manner. The distribution of the furon the cone is varied by simply changing the area of the opening in the top of the dome.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, looking from the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the large air-inlet-regulating device, representing it closed; and Fig. 4. is a central vertical section of the same, representing it open to its fullest extent.

(No model.)

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

'A is the fixed frame-work, made preferably in two separate parts for convenience in moving and repairing.

B is a shaft, receiving motion through a belt (not represented) on a pulley, B, and giving a rapid motion through a pulley, B belt b and pulley C to the first picker-cylinder, C, which latter runs in suitable fixed bearings, and is toothed uniformly. Another shaft, D, having a large pulley, D, carrying a belt, 11 receives motion from the belt b and imparts it through the pulley E to the second and larger picker-cylinder, E. The latter is equipped with teeth arranged in longitudinal rows or stripes, as indicated by 0 The blank spaces between these rows perform an important function. They modify the direct action on the fibers and materially increase the blowing-power of the picker. The pickers C and E run with the points of their teeth something like three (3) inches apart. The'smaller picker-cylinder is, in my experiments, six (6) inches in diameter and thirty-two (32) inches long, with teeth three-eighths g of an inch long. The larger picker-cylinder, E, is twelve (12) inches in diameter and thirty-two (32) inches long, the teeth being one (1) inch long. The diameter of each is measured out to the points of the teeth.

Au arch-shaped casing, G, incloses and covers the two pickers, except for a liberal airopening, 9*, in the top. This opening extends the whole length of the case, and is enlarged and contracted at will by moving the slide G. This slide is held in the desired position by pinching-screws. (Not shown.)

The material for a hat is placed ona'n apron, H,.and is introduced to the first picker-cylinder through feed-rolls I I, which may be constructed and operated as usual.

J is ataperiug case, curved, as shown, and finished smoothly on its interior. Air is drawn in through the opening 9* by the action of the pickers, and moves, carrying the fiber evenly distributed, through the trunkJ into the upper portion of the dome K. This dome is contracted from the top downward to a little'be low the top of the cone M. Thence it is cylindrical to the bottom. The construction avoids any projection which can accumulate dirt or fiber to be subsequently dischargedirregularly. The fiber descends in acloud uniformly distributed, and is drawn upon the exterior of the slowly-revolving cone M by the partial vacuum induced, as usual, by a blowermounted on the shaft L.

K K are doors in the side of the dome K, which may be opened and closed, as usual, to allow the removal of the full cone and the introduction of an empty one at brief intervals. The distribution of the fibrous material on the eoneis controlled with great 'ierfectiou by simply allowing the admission of more or less air through a variable opening, 75*, extending across the top of the dome K at right angles to the motion of the entering fiber. It is controlled by means of adjustable valves or doors. If much air is thus admitted, the cloud of fiber is driven down into thelower part of the case, and the lower part of the cone M is thickened at the expense of the top. It the air is shut 01f altogether, the cloud fills the top, and the fiber accumulates on the upper portion of the cone at the expense of thelower portion. By prop erly graduating the top opening the distribution is modified, as desired. The valves for this purpose are made in sections hinged together, as indicated by N N, &c., each section extending across the top. \Vheu all the sections of both valves are extended on the top the dome is tightly covered. By turning over the first section, N, of one valve a certain amonntofopening isproduced. By turning the same of the other the aperture is double. By turning up two or more sections of each, as indicated in Fig. 1-, the aperture is increased to any desired amount. It will be observed thatthe sections extend across at right angles to the path of the entering fur, so that whether the'area is greateror less the depressing eilect of the current of fresh air is felt uniformly quite across the dome. and all the fiber is depressed alike.

Modifications may be made in many of the details of the construction, as also variations may be made in the mode of working.

I prefer to drive the small picker 0 about five thousand (5,000) and the larger picker E about four thousand (4,000) revolutions per minute. \Vith ordinary furs I open the top of the arch G and of the dome K to about the extent indicated in Fig. 1.

Parts of the invention may be used without the whole.

The casing G and its slides G G may beincreased or diminished in height and in curvature, but I prefer the proportions shown.

, Other forms of the valves Gand N N, 850., may be employed.

1 claim as my invention 1. The picker-case G, with an opening extending along the top, in combination with suitable inclosed picker-cylinders and provisions t'or supplying the fur and for leading away the same with the current of air received, as herein specified.

2. The picker-shell G, with its adjustable opening and curved slides G G, in combination with each other and with the pickercylinders C E, of uniform length but different diameters, the larger of which is toothed in longitudinal stripes, as and for the purposes herein specified.

3. The picker-cylinder E, havingits teeth in stripes or sectional rows, as shown, in combination with the picker 0, revolved in the opposite direction, and with the feed-rolls I, for supplying material, air-induction 9*, for supplying air, and trunk J, conducting both to the dome, as herein specified.

t. In a hat-tor111ing apparatus, the dome K, having an adjustable aperture, k extending across the top, controlled by oneor more valves, N N &c., in combination with the trunk J, and provisions for supplying a limited current of air and fiber through the same, and with a cone, M, and provisions L for inducing a partial vacuum therein, arranged forjoint operation as and for the purposes herein specified.

5. In combination, the apron H, teed-rolls l, pickers G E, and their several driving means with the casing G, having apertures 9", controlled by slides G, trunk J, dome K, with its aperture and controlling-valves N N arranged to serve relatively to each other and to the revolving cone M, provisions L, for inducing a partial vacuum therein, and door K, all substantially as and forthc purposes herein specified.

In testimony \vhereofl have hereunto set my hand, at Danbury, Connecticut, this 14th day of June, 1881, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL STARR.

Witnesses ALMON HIOKOK, DAVID B. Booru. 

